Raincoat and water runway means therefor



March 7, 1967 c, PEARSON 3,3072% RAINCOAT AND WATER RUNWAY MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 8, 1965 m m V W.

United States atet 3,307,201 RAINCOAT AND WATER RUNWAY MEANS THEREFOR Raymond C. Pearson, 28 Grant Ave., East Rockaway, N.Y. 11518 Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,908 14 Claims. (Cl. 287) This invention pertains to raincoats. More particularly, it is directed to improvements whereby raindrops trickling down a raincoat are collected and diverted for drainage, away from the wearers legs.

A considerable portion of accumulating raindrops run off the bottom edge of a raincoat, to slosh against the legs. An unpleasant, cold and clammy sensation often follows, as a consequence of leg coverings soaking up this moisture.

To avoid such wetting, some use boots so that the water can drain to ground via the legging part. To many people, such added covering is inconvenient, unsightly and uncomfortable.

It is therefore a main object of this invention to construct a raincoat with a runway at the bottom edge, to collect rainwater trickling down the outside of the coat, and channel it off, to spill to the ground away from the legs.

Another object is to provide such a runway as an article of manufacture, which can be attached to raincoats not otherwise provided with it.

A further object is to provide a runway which will not collapse or flatten out while functioning, nor unduly stiffen the bottom edge of the raincoat.

Other objects and advantages will be made apparent from the following description and drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a raincoat with the invention at the bottom edge.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the bottom portion of the raincoat of FIG. 1, along the line 22, showing one form of the runway fabricated integrally with the coat.

FIGS. 3 thru 6 are alternate methods of securing shape to the runway, with various supplementary filler pieces to spread the runway sides.

FIG, 7 illustrates the runway as a separate article of manufacture, in the form of an extrusion to be attached to raincoats.

FIG. 8 is a runway made from strip materials, fabricated and attached as a separate article of manufacture.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, longitudinally thru the runway of FIG. 1 along the line 99, showing a drainport at the side of the coat and a method of pressing the runway outward to form a spout.

Essentially, the invention is an enclosed runway or duct, at the bottom edge of the raincoat, with a slanted weatherside having a series of openings for collecting the raindrops sliding down the surface of the coat and leading them off for drainage at the sides of the coat. The runway may be a folded extension of the coat material itself or a separate article of manufacture for attachment to the coat. In the various figures of the drawing, the raincoat proper isdesignated by the numeral 10, while the runway itself is indicated by 11.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a folded extension of the coat 10 forms the runway 11. The runway is essentially comprised of an outwardly slanting weatherside 12, a bottom section 13, a leg side 14, and a closure seam 15, at the top. A series of openings 16, in the weatherside, permit raindrops 17, trickling down the coat surface to enter and collect into a rivulet 18, for later discharge to ground. The openings are shown circular, however, elongated or other shapes may be used as desired, as described further along. Two or more rows of openings 'ice may be used, each displaced with respect to the other,

so that if a raindrop misses entry to the runway via the top row it will be caught by a hole in a row below.

To obtain inclination of the weatherside and a channel for disposing of the collected rainfall, the sides of the runway are distended or separated by various means. FIG. 2 indicates the use of a three fold ply in the material at 19, held together by a seam or stitching 20', at the bottom section. Alternate methods of obtaining runway side distention are indicated in the cross-sectional views of runways in FIGS. 3 thru 6. FIG. 3 indicates a supplementary strip 21, to stiffen the bottom section, and held in place by seam 22. Its edges may, however, be scalloped to impart flexibility to the runway.

FIG. 4 shows a stiffening substance 23, applied as a fluid substance, which upon curing or drying acts to render the runway bottom less pliant. It is applied to the raincoat material in line with the expected bottom layout of the runway and allowed to set before the runway is seamed shut.

FIG. 5 indicates the use of a spiral coil spring 24, to shape the runway. The material for the coil is preferably a thermo-plastic resin, wound with a coarse pitch lead. The cross-sectional shape of the mandrel upon which the coil is formed need not be circular-other shapes from triangular thru hexagonal may be used.

In FIG. '6 a shaped extruded plastic filler piece, 25, is added in way of the top seam at 15.

With respect to the openings in the weatherside of the runway, there are practical limitations in the selection of size. If openings are too small, the surface tension and velocity of fall will cause the water drops to pass right over the openings. If too large, there is a risk in getting the edge of one or more openings snagged on some object and tearing a section of the runway. A recommended lower limit for holes is inch diameter, with an upper limit of inch. On this basis, a number of rows of holes may be used, in the smaller sizes, and decorative designs included in the layout.

Slots on the order of inch wide by /2 inch in length have shown good results. They may run parallel with the bottom edge of the coat, in two or more overlapping rows, as in the case of holes. Alternatively, they may be on a bias, at angles from 30 to 45 degrees to the bottom of the runway. Combinations of slots and holes can also be used to secure decorative designs. Their spacing is determined by their lengths and angularity and the need for adequate drainage into the runway.

. The dimensions ofthe runway may vary considerably. As a general idea of what is involved, a particular embodiment of the invention had dimensions as follows: 1 /2 inch height; inch .depth; inch diameter entry holes, in two staggered rows; lengthwise and diagonal hole pitch of /2 inch.

The runway is formed after the length and cut of the coat has been determined. The entry and drain holes, to be described further along, are punched out and the side distention means added. The runway may be seamed shut at 15 by stitching, cementing or welding as desired, depending upon materials and equipment available. The particular joining method does not per se comprise a part of the invention, and it is to be understood that any joining process maybe used which is suitable for the materials selected.

The runway may be made as a separate item and attached to a raincoat. FIG. 7 illustrates it constructed as an extrusion, with stiffening added along the bottom in the form of extra material 26, tomaintain a ballooned cross-sectional shape to the runway. The entry holes or slots 16, are formed in a separate operation, such as by punching. The edge of the coat 10 is slipped in be Patented Mar. 7, 1967 tween the weatherside 12 and the legside 14 flaps for attachment, or to the outside of 12, by sea'm15.

The runway could alternatively be :made as in FIG. 8, of a flat strip of material, the same as the coat is made of, with the sides 12 and 14 folded up for attachment to the coat at seam 15. A separate stiffener 21, as in FIG. 3, is attached along the center line by sea-m 22, for maintaining the ballooned shape of the runway, after the entry holes 16 have been made.

FIG. 9 indicates the manner in which the accumulated water 18, within the runway 11, is channeled off to drainports 27, provided at each side of the coat. They are located substantially in line with the shoulder areas to provide less chance of the bottom edge of the coat contacting the wearers legs. To prevent discharge of water at other than these drainports, the ends of the runway are closed off at the front of the coat, and at the back if slit there. As an alternative to actual drain holes, the runway may terminate at the sides, leaving a gap thru which the water may be emptied. Included with the runway at the drainports, either internally or externally to it, attached by the closure seam 15, are spout springs 28. These impart an outward bend to the runway to cause the area around the drainports to become pressed outward, thus acting as spouts for draining the water further away from the legs. They are preferably made of a thermoplastic resin, springy enough to stretch under long walking strides and contract to their molded shape upon release of strain. A commercial acetal resin known as Del-rin has this property of resilience. In its simplest form, the spring is a rectangular strip with a wide angled U or V bend at its transverse mid section. Its developed length may be on the order of 6 to inches, with a V opening of about 2 inches, depending upon coat size. This will permit hanging up or storing the coat without excessive obtrusion in these areas.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been indicated, with some modifications, other variations are still possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

' What I claim is:

1. A raincoat having a lower edge, said entire lower edge being folded upwardly and inwardly and secured to the inner side of said raincoat, forming an enclosed rain collecting and disposal runway; the outer side of said formed enclosed runway having a multiplicity of openings formed therein, whereby water running down the, outer surface of said raincoat may enter and be collected in said runway; said runway having distender means therewithin; drainports formed in said runway and means for outwardly bending the runway at said drainports to allow said drainports to act as spouts.

2. A raincoat of claim 1, wherein the runway distender is formed by a three-ply reversibly folded portion of said bottom edge, secured at the point of said upward foldmg.

3. A raincoat of claim 1, wherein the runway distender is formed by a stiffening member secured to the bottom of said runway.

4. A raincoat of claim 1, wherein the runway distender is formed by a substance applied to the bottom area of said runway in a fluid state, which upon curing tends to stiffen said bottom area.

5. A raincoat of claim 1, wherein the runway distender is. a coiled member within said runway.

6. A raincoat having the bottom edge folded upwardly and seamed to the side of said raincoat, forming an enclosed rain collecting and disposal runway; a distention member, secured within said runway and seam, having outwardly extending segments whereby sides of said rnuway are separated; the outer side of said runway having a multiplicity of openings formed therein whereby water running down the outer surface of said raincoat formed in said runway and means for outwardly bending the runway at said drainports to allow them to act as spouts.

7. A raincoat having a lowerv edge folded upwardly and secured to the side of said raincoat, forming an enclosed rain collecting and disposal runway; the outer side of said formed enclosed runway having a multiplicity of openings formed therein, whereby water running down the outer surface of said raincoat may enter and be collected in said runway; said runway having distender means therewithin; drainports formed in said runway and means outwardly bendingthe runway at said drainports, to allow said drainports to act as spouts.

8. An article of manufacture comprising: a strip of material adapted to be attached to the lower edge of a raincoat; said strip having side portions and a longitudinal center portion; one of said side portions formed with a multiplicity of openings therein; said center portion having drainports formed therein; said side portions, when folded upwardly and inwardly being adapted to be secured to said lower edge of raincoat with the multiplicity of, said openings toward the weather-side of said coat, thereby forming an enclosed rain collecting and disposal runway; said strip having means to distend the sides of said formed runway when so secured whereby Water running down the outer surface of said raincoat may enter said openings for collection; means on said strip for outwardly bending the formed runway at said drainports to allow drainports to act as spouts.

9. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said distending means includes a stiffener strip secured along the length of said center portion of said strip.

10. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said strip is a single unitary piece and of greater thickness, along said longitudinal center portion, whereby said thicker center portion is the means causing the said distention of said formed runway,

11. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said strip is of uniform thickness throughout and said distending means is a bifurcated stiffener strip secured on one side of said side portions in the point of runway attachment, said bifurcation extending toward said center portion and thereby adapted to lie within said formed runway.

12. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said distending means includes a coiled member, secured within said formed runway.

13. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said distending means is a three-ply reversibly folded section of said center portion, secured at the point of said upward folding.

14. An article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein said distending means is a substance applied along the length of said center portion of said strip, in a fluid state, which upon curing, tends to stiffen said center portion of said strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,321,116 6/1943 Welch 287 FOREIGN PATENTS 384,655 4/ 1908 France. 685,201 12/ 1939 Germany. 802,809 2/ 1951 Germany. 550,008 12/ 1942 Great Britain. 484,824 9/1953 Italy.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.- R. J. SCANLAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RAINCOAT HAVING A LOWER EDGE, SAID ENTIRE LOWER EDGE BEING FOLDED UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY AND SECURED TO THE INNER SIDE OF SAID RAINCOAT, FORMING AN ENCLOSED RAIN COLLECTING AND DISPOSAL RUNWAY; THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID FORMED ENCLOSED RUNWAY HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN, WHEREBY WATER RUNNING DOWN THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID RAINCOAT MAY ENTER AND BE COLLECTED IN SAID RUNWAY; SAID RUNWAY HAVING DISTENDER MEANS THEREWITHIN; DRAINPORTS FROMED IN SAID RUNWAY AND MEANS FOR OUTWARDLY BENDING THE RUNWAY AT SAID DRAINPORTS TO ALLOW SAID DRAINPORTS TO ACT AS SPOUTS. 